NL East Notes: Harvey, Collins, Johnson, Valencia

The plan of action could change later this offseason, but for now, Matt Harvey has decided to try and avoid undergoing Tommy John surgery, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. The young Mets ace will try to rehab his right elbow for a month or two and then throw to see if he bounces back well from the partially torn ulnar collateral ligament. Here's more on the Mets and the rest of the NL East…

Matthew Cerrone of MetsBlog isn't on board with the Mets bringing Terry Collins back for next season and beyond. The Mets have stopped short of officially saying that Collins will manage the team in 2014, but all indications are that he will be back in the dugout.

Look for Elliot Johnson to be back with the Braves in a super-utility role next season, writes Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com within his latest column. Atlanta is quite pleased with their August waiver claim on the 29-year-old as he has done a capable job of filling in for second baseman Dan Uggla.

More from Rosenthal's piece, as he writes that Danny Valencia’s strong play with the Orioles could make him an appealing option for the Marlins, who will be looking for help at third base this winter. It doesn't hurt that Valencia has strong ties to the area as he was born in Miami, grew up in nearby Boca Raton, and attended the University of Miami.

The Phillies are a prime example of how fortunes can change quickly in the game of baseball, writes MLB.com's Paul Hagen. The Phillies opted to keep their aging core in tact this season despite being bogged down by injuries.